Cardio-oncology & otherCohort study
Long-term Cardiovascular Outcomes in US Medicare Beneficiaries After COVID-19 Hospitalization During the Omicron Era
- Retrospective cohort study
- inverse probability weighting
Authors' conclusion
Among older adults hospitalized with COVID-19, the risk of death within 1 year was lower, and the risk of major adverse cardiovascular event was higher in the Omicron era than the pre-Omicron era; however, the risk of either outcome was higher than after influenza hospitalization. These findings underscore the need for effective cardiovascular prevention strategies after a COVID-19 hospitalization.
Study context
- Population
- Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥65 years hospitalized for COVID-19 in the Omicron era, COVID-19 in the pre-Omicron era, or influenzapatients (mean age 79 years, 51% women) · Omicron cohort 361,382 · pre-Omicron cohort 731,455 · influenza cohort 91,345
- Participants
- 1,184,182 beneficiaries
- Exposure
- older adults hospitalized with COVID-19 during the Omicron era compared with the pre-Omicron era and a historical influenza cohort
- Omicron cohortn = 361,382
- pre-Omicron cohortn = 731,455
- influenza cohortn = 91,345
- Outcome
- Composite of:
- All-cause death and hospitalization for myocardial infarction
- Ischemic stroke
- Transient ischemic attack
- Pulmonary embolism
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Heart failure
- Cardiac arrest
- Follow-up
- Within 1 year of the index admission
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Estimate
Omicron cohort vs pre-Omicron cohortlower in the Omicron cohort
standardized risk difference −0.6%(95% CI −0.8% to −0.3%)
Omicron cohort vs influenza cohorthigher in the Omicron cohort
risk difference 15.4%(CI 15.1%–15.6%)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Omicron cohort | pre-Omicron cohort | influenza cohort | risk difference (CI) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Death · significantly lower in the Omicron cohort | 34.2% | 39.7% | Not reported in the abstract | −5.5% (−5.7% to −5.3%) | |
| −10−505Difference (linear scale) |
Myocardial infarction, stroke or transient ischemic attack, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, and heart failure
- Higher risk in the Omicron cohort compared with the pre-Omicron cohort
Original publication
Long-term Cardiovascular Outcomes in US Medicare Beneficiaries After COVID-19 Hospitalization During the Omicron Era. Circ Popul Health Outcomes. Published 30 July 2026. doi:10.1161/circoutcomes.125.012993
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it